Arif Alikhan is Homeland Security Assistant Secretary for the Office of Policy Development. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano made the appointment. The Islamic Workplace says this is Obama's first "major appointment of a Muslim" to the administration. Update 11-13-09 below.
Arif Alikahn
According to derSpiegel, Arif Alikhan is a "devout Sunni." He is the son on Pakistani immigrants. He is said to be in his late 30's and a handsome dresser. He comes to the position at Homeland Security from Los Angeles where he served as Deputy Mayor for Homeland Security and Public Safety under L.A. Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa:
As the city's computer and telecommunications crime coordinator, Alikhan is in the process of hiring new police officers. The job is as big as it is crucial: Close to four million people live in Los Angeles proper, while the metropolitan area is home to 18 million. Los Angeles could well be the target of the next terrorist attack.
There was no commotion when Alikhan was appointed, nor did any newspaper so much as question why someone like him should be placed in charge of the security of America's second-largest city. It was simply accepted as a fact. "I never had the feeling that my religion is written on my forehead," he says.
Before serving at the L.A. Mayor's office, Alikahn was an assistant U.S. Attorney, appointed by, and serving under,
U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales at the Department of Justice (DOJ), where Alikahn also served as Vice Chair of the Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property Task Force. Mr. Alikahn is highly praised by Alberto Gonzales.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) praises Alikahn also. According to Jihad Watch, the following is the CAIR statement about Alikahn's appointment:
Congratulations to Mr. Alikhan on this well-deserved appointment," said CAIR-LA Executive Director Hussam Ayloush. "Mr. Alikhan's new position reflects his and the community's dedication to helping preserve the security of our country. The American Muslim community can be proud of him.
As Jihad Watch points out, the appointment should "set off alarm bells." I agree. Having said that, CAIR will endorse any true Muslim that gets anywhere close to being up-close and personal with the U.S. government. The only way to keep the bells silenced is to make certain no Muslims are in positions of national security.
More from Jihad Watch:
CAIR is an unindicted co-conspirator in a Hamas terror funding case. Its operatives have repeatedly refused to denounce Hamas and Hizballah as terrorist groups.
Several of its former officials have been convicted of various crimes related to jihad terror.
Several of its other officials have made Islamic supremacist statements. CAIR also was involved in the Flying Imams' intimidation suit against the passengers who reported their suspicious behavior. That the CAIR rep who praised the appointment would be Hussam Ayloush, a delightful fellow with whom I have had several pleasant exchanges, who specifically refused to condemn Hamas and Hizballah as terrorist groups when I asked him repeatedly to do so, is even worse.
Never will we find CAIR condemning Hamas or Hizballah (Hezbollah). The question is, does Mr. Alikahn, a devout Sunni Muslim, condemn Hamas or Hizballah?
Jihad Watch also quotes WorldNetDaily saying that 13 days prior to Napolitano's appointment to Homeland Security, Arif Alikahn attended a fundraiser sponsored by the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC). I've read about everything I can about MPAC. On the surface, they seem more measured and more moderate than some Islamic organizations, however, Aaron Klein writing from Tel Aviv for WND, makes some remarks that set the alarm bells ringing double time. Notice that the quotes from MPAC come from an MPAC call-in to an L.A. "talk radio audience." The quote is below. Read the entire article at
Jihad Watch.
A few hours after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, MPAC co-founder Marayati told a Los Angeles talk radio audience: "If we're going to look at suspects, we should look at the groups that benefit the most from these kinds of incidents, and I think we should put the state of Israel on the suspect list, because I think this diverts attention from what's happening in the Palestinian territories so that they can go on with their aggression and occupation and apartheid policies."...
I would like to ask Mr. Alikahn some questions - the following just to get things started:
1) Do you condemn Hamas and Hizballah as terrorist organizations?
2) Do you condemn the rockets fired from Hamas into Israel
3) Do you condemn the bombing of the Beirut Marine Barracks as an act of terrorism?
4) Do you condemn CAIR's support of the Holy Land Foundation as aiding terrorism?
5) Do you condemn the bombing of the U.S.S. Cole as an act of terrorism?
6) Do you defend Israel's right to exist as a sovereign Nation?
Additional background on Alikahn:
Alikhan began his legal career as a Judicial Law Clerk to U.S. District Judge Ronald S.W.
...
In 1997, Alikhan joined the Criminal Division of the United States Attorney's Office in Los Angeles where he handled a wide variety of criminal matters as a federal prosecutor for over eight years.
He received several awards from law enforcement agencies for his work and was recognized by the Department of Justice for his superior management and supervisory performance.
Alikhan was instrumental in Mayor Villaraigosa's initiative to put 1,000 new officers on the streets, and now the LAPD has expanded to its highest level in history.
Additionally, Alikhan oversaw and advanced the Mayor's emergency preparedness and counter-terrorism initiatives, increased cooperation with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, worked to create the Fire Department's Professional Standards Division and helped secure and manage over $400 million in homeland security and public safety grants for the Los Angeles region.
He was also a key aid to the Mayor at major emergencies including numerous brush and wild fires and the tragic Metrolink crash last year.
Alikhan graduated with honors from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles in 1993. He graduated cum laude from the University of California, Irvine in 1990 where he earned a degree in Social Ecology with an emphasis in Criminal Justice, Criminology and Legal Studies.
Another Muslim, Kareem Shora has also been appointed to Homeland Security. More coming on this appointment.
Important Update 11-13-09:
From Discover the Networks - During his years in Los Angeles, Alikhan was
responsible for
derailing
Police Department efforts to monitor activities within the city’s
Muslim community, where numerous radical mosques and madrassas were
known to exist, and where some of the 9/11 hijackers had received
support from local residents.
Hostile toward Israel, Alikhan is affiliated with the Muslim Public Affairs (MPAC), which has referred to the terrorist organization Hezbollah as a "liberation movement." Alikhan opposed President George W. Bush's prosecution of the war on Islamic terror.
Thirteen days prior to his Homeland Security appointment, Alikhan had participated in a MPAC fundraiser called "Be the Change," to support what the organization described as its leadership-development programs.
From Right Side News:
In 2007 Alikhan was instrumental in removing the Muslim terror tracking
plan in LA. The Muslim 'Mapping' Plan of the Los Angeles Police
Department is now "dead on arrival" according to Chief William Bratton.
"It is over and not just put on the side," said Chief Bratton in a
meeting with the Muslim leadership of Southern California at that time.
The meeting was moderated by Arif Alikhan.
A major reason for the termination of the 'mapping' plan was the Muslim
community's vociferous opposition and active civic engagement in making
themselves heard beyond Los Angeles. Muslim organizations demonstrated
a strong unity of purpose and message on the issue of 'mapping' that
led to a position of strength for Muslims in the meeting. Those
involved in the initial phases of this controversy were the Islamic
Shura Council of Southern California
www.shuracouncil.org and the Council on American-Islamic Relations
www.cair.com , the Muslim Public Affairs arm.
Other speakers included Professor Agha Saeed of the
American Muslim
Task Force (AMT) who spoke about "the struggle of the Muslim Community
against the pervasive atmosphere of Islamophobia and hatred in the
aftermath of 9/11.. It was a struggle against the tide - a very strong
tide - to prevent Muslims in America from being marginalized and
silenced."
Professor Saeed issued five demands from Muslims to
the Department of Justice. These demands included a cessation to the
infiltration by spies of mosques and an end to the introduction of
agents provocateur. In addition there was to be a cessation of attempts
to undermine Muslim groups such as the Council on American Islamic
Relations (CAIR). Un-indicted co-conspirator CAIR was thrilled at the
appointment:
www.us4arabs.com/content/view/1590/31/
From
Creeping Sharia about Kareem Shora:
Shora moved from the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC)'s national executive director to Homeland Security Advisory Council - an "outside-the-department group of national security experts" that advises Janet Napolitano. "Shora is the first Arab rights advocate on the panel.
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